What was Missing?
by runsongasoline
Summary: Supposedly, she had everything. But something was missing... something was off. Maybe he couldn't light the fire inside of her.
1. How it Starts

He was devoted, sweet and he loved her. But something was missing. What was it?

He was polite, intelligent and cuddly. But something remained missing. What was it?

He was collected, funny and honest. But something was still missing. What was it?

Maybe it was her. Maybe she was the one who was missing something. She should appreciate what- who- she had. She should love him, too. Right? So what was missing?

Every day was similar. He often worked away with the other Nations. She was often alone. When he was home, he was loving, but something always felt lacking.

Maybe he was too young. Or inexperienced. Maybe sometimes he got too excitable and it got on her nerves. Maybe their intimate life wasn't quite right.

Maybe falling for the Avatar at 14 after a war was more from being forced to be in close quarters. Or maybe it was solely from the expectation that she had to be with him. As the Avatar, why wouldn't she, after all?

After six years, though, 20-year-old Katara was itching to leave. At least for a little bit. She hadn't left in so long and the urge to travel the world again was so _strong_. Maybe she just needed time away from Aang- and she would come back with renewed love. Maybe she needed a break, and some friends, and a bed all to herself for a little bit.

But _where_?

Katara hadn't left to go traveling in far too long. She had barely left to go to the _market_ in far too long. What to do?

So she sent out a letter to her brother and his betrothed, via Messenger Hawk. Admittedly, a Fire Nation thing but given Aang was the the Avatar, he received many gifts. Agnes being one of them.

Katara did not name the hawk.

It was a slow week, but the day before Aang was to return, Katara got her brother's response from Ba-Sing-Se.

Of course she was welcome, it read. _We miss you!_

Now she just had to wait for Aang's return.


	2. Gold Eyes and Intros

Aang seemed taken aback as Katara explained to him, shortly after his arrival back home, that she was to travel to Ba-Sing-Se for a while to see her brother.

"I'll come along!" He quickly volunteered. Katara's smile faltered.

"Actually, I'm going on my own." She said, voice a little too firm. Cerulean eyes were hard as diamonds as she looked at her partner.

"O-oh. Okay." Aang seemed taken aback. Katara gave him another small smile. He had gotten so tall. He was handsome. His tattoos were still beautiful.

But she didn't get butterflies anymore. Sometimes, she dreaded his return. She wanted to love him. She had to fix it somehow... but needed time. Just some time. Maybe that would work. Maybe.

It became somewhat of a mantra as she traveled.

From their current home in an old Air Temple (it was... isolated) to Ba-Sing-Se was quite the journey, but she had the coin to rent various ways of travel. She arrived in Ba-Sing-Se on an Eelhound and then walked by foot to where her brother's home was marked on the map. She didn't even make it to their door when a short, slender woman came bolting out, black hair tumbling in her face and eyes the palest green staring unblinkingy.

"Toph!" Katara said.

"Sugar Queen! So you have arrived!" She declared, a smile on her face and unseeing eyes focused on Katara nonetheless.

Toph was now of age, and she and Sokka quickly caught up. Apparently very well, considering they moved in together rapidly and still seemed to enjoy themselves.

"Sooo... we have another guest." Toph said, mischief in her voice and that all-too-familiar grin on her face.

"Do I know them, or something?"

"Oh, maybe." There was a singsong lilt to her voice. Katara tucked long locks behind her ear, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Wanna go inside, then? It's hot out here anyway."

Katara nodded slowly and followed Toph into their home- modest, pale stone, and sturdy. She lead the Waterbender into their kitchen, and suddenly Katara understood the shit-eating grin plastered on the Blind Bandit's face.

Her heartbeat sped up as she looked at the man sitting at their table with her brother.

"Katara!" Sokka called, standing abruptly and stumbling over to her, enveloping his younger sister in a hug. The man sitting with Sokka swung around, black hair tumbling over widened gold eyes... one marked with a vicious red scar.

"Katara..." Zuko echoed thoughtfully. "What a surprise."


	3. Oceans and Lava

**a/n: thanks for the follows and reviews y'all! I'm glad it's enjoyed so far. :3 I am so out of practice, so apologies for odd mistakes!**

"Wait, where's Twinkle Toes?" Toph asked, as if only just remembering Aang even existed.

"He's... he stayed home. Enjoying some of his time off and all that stuff." Katara tucked a strand of hair behind one ear, looking around the cozy room. And out the window. The floor was quite nice, too. Everywhere that _wasn't_ that damned Firebender was _so nice_ right now. She cursed herself mentally. _This was a terrible idea_.

"How have you been, Katara?"

His gravelly voice made the Waterbender jump. Eyes the color of the ocean met eyes of molten gold, a harsh red scar marring an eye. Thick, dark hair hung shaggy, in his eyes and past his ears. Age had been _kind_ to Zuko. Not that she was noticing, or anything.

"Er, Katara?" Sokka's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Oh. Oh! I've been... well. And yourself, Zuko?" She asked sheepishly, cheeks flushed. Saying she was well almost felt like a lie.

"Could definitely be worse." He said with a shrug. So casual, it was hard to believe he was a king. "Busy pretty often."

"How's, uh, Mei?"

An awkward silence fell, one of the loud and buzzing silences where your words seem to echo in your ears.

"She left me." His voice was guarded, eyes cast downwards. "For Ty Lee."

Katara almost wanted to laugh. Almost. Ty Lee was so hyper and Mei was so... not. At least, when she had met them last. That was years ago, though. Who knows what could change.

"How is Aang?"

Katara furrowed her brows. "He's... happy. Leaves pretty often for Avatar business, though. But he seems happy." She said, picking words carefully. Aang was happy. Katara wasn't so sure about herself though.

Aang was so sweet, so peaceful and so naïve. She should love him, she reminded herself. She was lucky to have him. Right?

The atmosphere soon softened up as Katara brought her things to the guest room and conversation began to flow.

"Sokka, why in the world do you have two beds in your guest bedroom?" She yelled.

"So we have room for more than one guest! Duh! Unless you want Zuko snuggling you all night!" He called back.

Of _course_ she was sharing the damned room with Zuko. Of _course_ Zuko would be here when she was. Of _course_ this was all coincidence. A coincidence... or the work of a _certain_ blind bandit.


	4. Sparring and Happiness

When evening finally fell and the household fell quiet, a flustered Katara walked towards the nearby river. To think. And Waterbend. Always great for clearing her mind.

Until it's not, of course.

Like when a certain stupid Firebender was already there, firelight casting flickering shadows over his scarred face, reflecting in his good eye like molten gold. Inescapable heat, one that could consume you. All reflected in his eyes. She sighed, and the man turned his eyes on her.

Her, with the drab blue dress. Her, with the hair almost to her waist. Her, with tan skin darkened further by the sun, scars peppering her body, oceanic eyes always wary and searching.

"Katara?" Zuko called, the fire between his outstretched palms dissipating as he stopd abruptly from the log he had been perched on.

" _King_ Zuko." She responded with a mock curtsy, falling easily back into their old routine of taunts.

"And look at you, still a peasant." He fired back, trademark smirk playing across his lips.

"Ah, I was wondering when the insulting would start again. Starting to think maybe you were an impostor, but no, _there_ it is." Katara shot back, just as quick, winking at him confidently. Internally, her heart was pounding and her face felt hot, though. Her childhood crush on Prince Zuko seemed to have grown with her, despite thinking she would outgrow it.

It just proved she was lonely, is all. And maybe unhappy. She could fix that, though. She could be happy... with... Aang. She _would_ be happy with Aang.

"Katara?" Zuko said, clearing his throat. The Waterbender jumped and trained sharp eyes on the Firebender. "You zoned out for a moment there. Are you feeling alright?"

"Sorry, yeah." She cleared her throat and smiled. "I got lost in my thoughts for a time."

"Oh. Well, I asked if you'd like to spar. For old times' sake."

"Old times' sake? _Liiiike_ when you were hunting and attempting to imprison us?" Katara teased. "Sure, though. We can spar. I might be a bit out of practice, though. But _don't_ go easy on me."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Peasant." He chuckled, shifting easily into position, fire flaring to life at his hands.

Katara narrowed her eyes, drawing water from the river with grace only Waterbenders could possess, body moving with the fluidity of the water she controlled. She found herself grinning, striking put at the man with a whip of water. He snaked out of the way, but barely, an intense wall of flame bursting up and evaporating the water she was bending. The heat bit her skin, eating into her summer dress.

"Really?" Katara hissed, drawing more water from the river. She danced with it, the water ebbing and flowing as it was contorted, snaking around Zuko. She worried her lower lip between teeth before jerking herself back, the water freezing into ice with an almost metallic _clink_.

Zuko growled, trapped within a snaking column of ice. "Easy." He said smugly, arms heating up and forcing the ice to melt. Katara rolled her eyes, catching her breath as Zuko made his way out of her trap. "Hey. Peasant." He called over the hissing of the evaporating water.

"What?" She snapped.

"Got ya." He said, the flames looping around her in a distinctly... Water Tribe way... just with fire. His movements were fluid, muscles shifting under porcelain skin, focusing on far more than brute power. He was Firebending... with the technique of Waterbending. The flames licked at her damp skin but Katara found herself mesmerized. By him.

"I give." She said after finding her voice. "You win."

"That easy?" He laughed, the fire dissipating as quickly as it had appeared. Katara took note of the singed areas of dress and skin, scowling at the man.

"Look at my dress! You burnt it! I'm not going to spar until you've burnt my dress _off_!"

"I don't think that would be quite appropriate of me, would it, now?" Zuko asked, voice smooth. Katara felt tiny under his gaze as the weight of her words hit her.

"No... I suppose it wouldn't." Her voice was soft, far softer than intended as Zuko stepped closer to her.

"You know..." He said, closing much of the gap between them. "You should be happier."

And with that, he strode off. Katara remained outside for a while, waterbending under the stars as her mind wandered.

 _You should be happier_.


	5. Never Easy

Morning came and Katara awoke to the grey light of early morning filtering through the window. She groaned but rolled out of her bed, trying to quietly sneak away to bathe in the river before anyone awoke.

"Sparky makes your heart beat awfully hard." Toph's voice was quiet but Katata swung around as if she had been screamed at.

"So?" Katara's whisper faltered.

"Tell me why Aang isn't here again?" She chuckled.

The Waterbender shrugged and glared at the younger woman, despite the fact that she was blind. Awkwardly, she said, "He just isn't."

"So you're not happy with Twinkle Toes."

"Did I say that?"

"It's obvious."

Toph saw nothing, yet saw everything all at once. Katara sighed. "I don't know why I'm not happy, Toph. I'm figuring it out. It has nothing to do with Zuko."

"Had. Had nothing to do with Zuko." Toph corrected with a wicked grin. Katara's shoulders slumped.

"Fine. Had." She seethed through a clenched jaw. "You win. I'm going to go bathe, now." Katara swung around and exited the house quickly, heart pounding.

 _Damn it, Toph._ Always had to be under her skin somehow.

The cool morning air and the chilly river water were exactly what Katara needed to wake herself up and pull out of this mess. Just herself and the water and the beautiful morning sky. _Finally_.

A twig cracked and Katara half-turned in the direction of the noise.

" _That's her- get her_!"

She wasn't sure if the 'thunk' was her head hitting rock or not, before everything went black.


	6. Kidnapped

Katara came to slowly, head pounding and vision spotty. She groaned, trying to reach a hand up to her aching head, only to find her arms bound. She paused, feeling out her situation. Something hard against her back, she waa tied to it with rough rope. Her heart began to pound. What is going on?

"Ohhh, she's awake!" An excited male voice made Katara's head turn sharply.

"What..." She croaked, throat so dry she began to hack.

"Shut up, girl." The voice snarled. A man stepped in front of her, towering but shadowed in the dim light. "You better hope the King throws in the ransom."

"Ransom?!" She croaked. "You _kidnapped_ me?

"Who better than a woman he holds a fondness for?" The man chortled.

"Who are you?!" Katara cried, straining against her binds.

"You don't need to know. You just better hope, or we're disposing of you, girl." She saw a flash of teeth as the man smiled, more akin to a sneer.

Oh Gods, she was in trouble.

"I haven't even seen Zuko in years!" Katara protested, voice a bit stronger.

"But your little play fight the other night told us all we need to know." The man had a dark, rich voice and it gave Katara chills. "The King and some peasant from a Water Tribe? Scandalous! Kidnapped? More scandalous! Either the King shows and dies, or he gives us the money and we might let you go."

"Might?"

"You're pretty and feisty. Fun to... break." He leered. Katara felt panic rising like bile in her throat, sweat beading on her forehead. _He would come... right_? "Getting scared?" The man taunted. Katara stared towards him, cerulean eyes narrow, but she remained tight lipped.

He slapped her. Hard. Her head rocked backwards, smacking into the beam she was tied to, stars lighting up her vision. Katara spat on him defiantly.

He growled, an enraged and inhuman sound, before striking her face again. His fist connected with her eye and Katara cried out involuntarily.

"Oh girly, we are gonna break you." He snarled. Katara sneered back, desperately holding on to her defiance despite her pounding heart and building fear.

"No the fuck you are not." The voice came from behind the man, familiar and rough. "You will let her go or by the gods I will kill you." Katara couldn't see him, but she knew his voice- Zuko.

"Try me." The man shot back, crouching inti a fighting gesture.


	7. Save Me

Katara came to slowly, head pounding and vision spotty. She groaned, trying to reach a hand up to her aching head, only to find her arms bound. She paused, feeling out her situation. Something hard against her back, she waa tied to it with rough rope. Her heart began to pound. What is going on?

"Ohhh, she's awake!" An excited male voice made Katara's head turn sharply.

"What..." She croaked, throat so dry she began to hack.

"Shut up, girl." The voice snarled. A man stepped in front of her, towering but shadowed in the dim light. "You better hope the King throws in the ransom."

"Ransom?!" She croaked. "You _kidnapped_ me?

"Who better than a woman he holds a fondness for?" The man chortled.

"Who are you?!" Katara cried, straining against her binds.

"You don't need to know. You just better hope, or we're disposing of you, girl." She saw a flash of teeth as the man smiled, more akin to a sneer.

Oh Gods, she was in trouble.

"I haven't even seen Zuko in years!" Katara protested, voice a bit stronger.

"But your little play fight the other night told us all we need to know." The man had a dark, rich voice and it gave Katara chills. "The King and some peasant from a Water Tribe? Scandalous! Kidnapped? More scandalous! Either the King shows and dies, or he gives us the money and we might let you go."

"Might?"

"You're pretty and feisty. Fun to... break." He leered. Katara felt panic rising like bile in her throat, sweat beading on her forehead. _He would come... right_? "Getting scared?" The man taunted. Katara stared towards him, cerulean eyes narrow, but she remained tight lipped.

He slapped her. Hard. Her head rocked backwards, smacking into the beam she was tied to, stars lighting up her vision. Katara spat on him defiantly.

He growled, an enraged and inhuman sound, before striking her face again. His fist connected with her eye and Katara cried out involuntarily.

"Oh girly, we are gonna break you." He snarled. Katara sneered back, desperately holding on to her defiance despite her pounding heart and building fear.

"No the fuck you are not." The voice came from behind the man, familiar and rough. "You will let her go or by the gods I will kill you." Katara couldn't see him, but she knew his voice- Zuko.

"Try me." The man shot back, crouching inti a fighting gesture. Zuko grunted, and Katara knew that stubborn grin she remembered so well was on his face.

"Gladly." The Firebender snarled, flames bursting to life in his outstretched hands. The fire illuminated his face, smirk plastered on and stare intense. It cast flickering, eerie shadows that danced along the walls and the beams, slightly illuminating a concrete floor and tarnished, worn-down walls.

The fire erupted, whooshing in her ears with a deafening roar. They seemed to engulf her kidnapper, but he snarled like a feral Boar-Q-Pine and charged Zuko. It was clear that the man was far more broad and much taller than the King, but Zuko used his smaller size to dodge out of the way of the man.

He misjudged his step slightly, the man's fist connecting with the side of his head. Stars blurred his vision as the sharp pain shot through his head. Zuko growled, wheeling around slightly unsteadily and barraged the man with a wave of fire.

The kidnapper wasn't a bender, Katara realised with a start. Yet he charged through Zuko's flames as if he felt nothing of the blazing heat.

He slammed Zuko to the ground with the ease of someone swatting a fly away. The Firebender's breath was knocked out of him, forcing a weak cough as he stood again, wildly charging the man with flames engulfing his arms. Despite being smaller, Zuko connected with the man's midsection with all of his weight and momentum, knocking both of them backwards in separate ways. Zuko recovered, quickly bursting white-hot flames from his fingertips towards the ceiling. One of the horizontal beams made a cracking noise as the flames ate at the wood viciously, making quick work of them.

After a moment, with a mighty cracking noise, the beam began to collapse. Burning chunks of wood fell over the man, the light allowing Katara to see his face. He was pale, much like Zuko, with dark hair but blue eyes. Fire Nation but... not quite. His eyes were wild, like a caged animal, as his flesh began to burn and the smell of cooking meat started to permeate the air.

Zuko turned to a still bound Katara, leaping towards her to deftly untie her and yank her up to a standing position. Katara cried out as blood rushed back through her arms and legs.

"Come on, we have no time to waste!" Zuko hissed, yanking Katara along by her arms. The building made this awful creaking noise, almost a groan, as the fire devoured the wood and the house began to collapse in around itself. She watched as Zuko tried to control the flames, but it wasburning through the house like it was made of the perfect kindling. Master Bender or not, this was too large to entirely control, and it had burst out of Zuko's control.

He stumbled out the door behind her, covered in soot and bruises. "Are you okay?" Zuko asked. Katara furrowed her brows.

"Yes... but what in the _gods_ was that, Zuko?!"

"Now! Go!" Zuko screamed, snatching Katara to the front of him and shoving her towards the exit. She fumbled against the handle for a minute but ultimately shoved her way out the door, Zuko stumbling out behind her while trying desperately to bend the flames to his will.

But they grew too massive, too fast to be controlled, even by a master bender like Zuko.

Katara coughed from the thick smoke she had inhaled, and Zuko stared at her before sweeping her up into a hug.

"I am sorry that happened."


	8. Firelight and Flames

"What. Just. Happened." Katara ground out, eyes wild. Zuko sighed.

"Many people either want my fortune, want me dead, or both. Comes with the whole King thing, apparently. They must have followed and assumed you and I to be close."

"Quite the assumption."

"It isn't often that I spar with random Water Tribe Peasants."

"Well, I'm glad I'm special, then." She joked.

"You have no idea." Zuko responded softly. "Now let me look at..." He had her turn her head so the bruises she gained were in the firelight. He sucked in a breath. "That won't feel great in the morning." He lightly traced around the bruise and she felt the aching under the rush of adrenaline.

"How long was I..." Katara started.

"Since the morning. We are a few hours past midnight." He ran a hand through his hair, wincing as his fingers caught in it.

"So Toph and Sokka know?"

"Yes, so we need to get back." He lightly grabbed her arm, and she followed him through the woods, watching as the firelight from the building faded from sight.

"Why didn't they come?" She wondered aloud.

"The ransom note. If I didn't come alone, they would kill you."

"I only saw the one guy..." She furrowed her brows then winced as pain shot through her head.

Zuko chuckled darkly. "There were others."

"Were?" She asked.

"Were." Zuko said, and she swore she saw a shadow of a smirk on his face in the dark of the night.

"You can let go of my arm..." Katara pointed out. Immediately, Zuko let go, apologizing quietly. Katara bit her lip, then grabbed his hand on a whim. He had just saved her. He was the reason she got kidnapped, but still, he saved her.

The old feelings reared up like a monster as Zuko squeezed her hand but didn't let go or push her away.

"Thank you." Katara squeaked after long moments of silence between them, only the sounds of the forest cutting through the air.

"For?"

"You saved me. You didn't _have_ to or anything."

"There is no reason I wouldn't save you, Katara."


	9. No Blame

Sokka absolutely _lost_ it when Zuko and Katara came through the door. He yelled at Zuko, threatened to send for Aang, hugged Katara, yelled at everyone... he made a typical Sokka scene.

Katara was pretty sure at this point that was how he expressed any emotions at all.

Toph, on the other hand, seemed pleased.

"I knew you would save her, Sparky." She said with a devilish grin. "Glad you're both okay, though. Ignore him." She motioned to Sokka and Katara couldn't help but laugh.

"Trust me, Toph, I have been. For a long time." She said. Toph snorted.

"Fair enough, Sugar Queen. Fair. Enough."

Sokka checked out Katara's eye, wincing in sympathy. "I'm surprised your head didn't break. Then again, you are hard headed..." He snickered at his own dumb joke and Katara swatted him away, glaring.

"I wish they had, then I wouldn't have to listen to your lame puns." She retorted.

"Oh! That hurts!" Sokka declared mockingly, grabbing at his chest. Katara chuckled.

"Knock it off, weirdo."

Sokka rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. "Fine. Now freeze some water and let's get this iced up before it swells any more."

"You could ask nicely!" She snapped, grimacing at how speaking pulled at her bruised face.

"It's not _my_ face hurting, if you don't wanna help then it's your own fault." He shrugged.

"Fine." Katara growled, doing as instructed. Sokka and Toph got to work packing the ice into an old piece of cloth and laying it on her face. Every 15 minutes, the ice was taken off, then Zuko was to heat up a damp cloth and switch out the ice. It helped with the swelling, but the ache was still so deep in her skull.

She yawned.

"It is late... early... what ever." Zuko said, seemingly in agreement. "Do you need help?"

"Help?" She echoed.

"Getting to your room." He explained. Katara gave a halfhearted shrug, beginning to sit up but groaning as her head spun. Zuko took that as his sign, lifting her up with ease like some bride. She lifted one eyebrow but he said nothing. Toph snickered behind her hand and Katara wanted to hide as her cheeks grew red under tan skin.

"I'm sorry." He murmured as he lay her on her bed. "For that happening. I did not want you in danger."


	10. Contractual

Katara woke with her head pounding, but managed to get around fine.

"Why don't you do your crazy heal-y bending?" Sokka asked over breakfast.

"She's concussed, stupid." Toph retorted. "Would you want to do something that delicate when you can't even focus?"

"You're a blind Earthbender!" Sokka yelled, and Toph snorted, holding back a laugh.

"My unseeing eyes don't hurt me! She was hardly coherent!"

"I'll fix it once I can focus." Katara agreed, wincing under her pounding headache. It was a sensitive area to work with, and given adrenaline, pain and a concussion, plus her utter exhaustion it was not a feat she was comfortable doing.

Yet, at least.

Zuko wandered from the guest room, rubbing his eyes and looking decidedly un-king-like, no shirt, casual pants.

 _Gorgeous_ , Katara thought. She mentally cursed herself, but couldn't quite keep her eyes off his slender but muscular frame. He glanced over at her and she tried to hide her face.

"Can you put a shirt on?" Sokka asked with a huff.

"Oh. Yeah." He wandered back into the room. Katara was typically asleep well before Zuko, so she didn't know he slept... shirtless.

He returned after a few moments, a piece of paper gripped in his fist, and a grim expression.

"All I did was ask you to put a shirt on..." Sokka mumbled.

"It isn't about the clothes..." Zuko said. "I have received word someone has put a contract on my life."

"A...contract?" Katara felt her heart began to race.

"An assassin's contract."


End file.
